How to Garden Without a Lawn

Anyone who's interested in growing his or her own food but lacks the yard to do it in can still learn to be a green thumb. You just have to work a little harder to make the most of the space you do have.

Gardening is never easy, but those people with a sprawling yard in which to work have a leg up. As more and more Americans live in urban areas, more would-be gardeners find themselves wondering whether they can grow their own food in the limited space they have. They're in luck: Innovative gardeners can turn almost any space in their apartment or community into an urban oasis.

Where to Garden

If there's a nice, sunny plot of land in front of your building or two-family home that's currently occupied by grass or weeds, knock on your landlord's door and ask if you can plant a garden there. Offer to share the produce and you may just become the new favorite tenant. If that doesn't work, you could even offer to rent the space. It may seem silly at first, but you'll never know unless you ask. Considering you'll save your landlord the trouble of mowing that section, he or she might go for it. (Just be sure to check your local laws for any rules about what you can and can't grow.)

One important thing to consider: access to water. If no faucet is located near your prospective gardening spot, you'll find yourself hauling cans of water out there during dry spells.

A more likely scenario for apartment dwellers is that there's just no space around for serious gardening. So try seeking out a community garden. Many cities have them. Ask around at your local gardening store or community center and they can probably point you in the right direction. Or, just search on Google for "community garden" and the name of your area.

Community gardens usually rent space on a seasonal basis, and many run out of space quickly. You'll have to jump in at the start of the year. If your city doesn't have a community garden, maybe the time is right for you to start one. Talk to your local municipal government about the steps needed to get a community garden up and running and to find where some vacant land might be available.

If there are no community gardens in your area, and no space available to start one, try searching for local farms and offer to volunteer. Most small, organic farms — and even some family farms—rely on volunteer labor to get the work done each season. Some will even pay you with food for your work. Working on a local farm is a terrific opportunity to learn what it takes to run a successful, small-scale farm. From irrigation and seeds to managing the health of livestock, it might make you appreciate where your food comes from a bit more.

How to Garden

A tiny garden is like a tiny apartment—using the space as efficiently as possible is key.

If you live in a small apartment or your landlord won't let you grow anything in the yard, grow up, not out. Plants that climb, such as cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and beans, use a relatively small plot of land, but can double or triple what that land produces. A trellis rooted in a large pot or small garden plot will allow plants to climb up, and fits easily on a patio, porch, or even on a set of stairs.

If possible, put in plants with high yield. There's no sense waiting all season for a small salad—choose plants that will get the most from your small space.

Many urban areas have very little sunlight available because of tall buildings or large trees. If shade is stopping you from growing a garden, use it to your advantage. Most amateur gardeners see shade as a problem because they don't think many plants can grow well in it. The opposite is true, and a number of plants, especially summer crops like spinach, kale, raspberries, beets, and salad greens do well in shady areas with just a few hours of sun each day.

Finally, while we would all love a perfectly fertile soil that is well drained and easy to manage, the reality is that, in urban gardening, you have to use the soil you have, not the soil you wish you had. Put plants that enjoy or thrive in damp, soggy conditions in those problem areas of your yard. Cabbage, broccoli, and kale are just a few examples. Alternatively, if you have naturally bare or dry soil, use plants that thrive in that environment, such as herbs or tomatoes. But remember, no matter how drought- or heat-resistant plants are, they still need water. Plants are amazingly adaptive and capable of growing just about anywhere—don't be afraid to experiment.

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